Tatoosh Lakes Trail Backpacking Adventure

A big thanks to Ben for showing Neil the ropes of backpacking on the Tatoosh Lakes Trail. Bright and early Tuesday morning the car was loaded and they were off to the trailhead. There was only one other car parked on the road and the weather could not have been better. The only worry was the gunshots heard as they packed their bags. Hunting season???

With their bags packed they started up the trail. 3.9 miles and 3250 ft of elevation gain was ahead of them. It was slow going through steep switchbacks that lead them through the forest up to alpine meadows. Views of Mount St. Helens and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest surrounded them.

At mile number 3 there is a small sign showing trail 161b that leads up the meadow a half mile to a ridge above the Tatoosh Lakes. Panoramic views of Cascade peaks and valleys abound. A lot of sweat, a little pain, and 3 hours later they had made it as high up as they were going to go. No camping is allowed at the lake so it was here that they set up camp.

Once camp was set, it was off to the lakes. Another 1/2 mile, this time down, were the Tatoosh Lakes. The true prize for making the hike!! No other people around. There was a snowfield at the far end of the bigger lake with an inviting rock. Here beer could be nicely chilled (Blue Mountains = Cold as the Rockies, the Cascades in the this case), and a cooking station could be set up for the fish that were about to be caught. Nice trout were caught(8 total) and 3 were kept(should have been 4 but Neil dropped the last one back into the lake, whoops), cleaned, and cooked by guide master Ben. Eating fresh fish, tipping back some tallboys, all while taking in all the views that nature has to offer.

Backpacking might not be so bad after all...

After fishing it was the 1/2 mile trek back up to camp. Freeze dried food topped off the trout appetizer and some star watching around the campfire provided a relaxing end to a spectacular day. Neil still thinks sleeping on the ground in a tent(thermarest pads and cozy sleeping bags provided by the guide were very appreciate) is not so much fun. By morning the clouds had rolled in, our views were gone and a misty rain was beginning to fall. A campfire to warm up, freeze dried breakfast to get going, camp stuffed back into the packs and it was back on the trail.

3 hours up...1 hour 45 minutes down. By the end, feet were soaked and joints were tired but good times were had by all.